The Mechanism of Gravitational Force

Abstract

Although it has been known since the time of Newton, nearly three centuries ago, that bodies attract each other according to the inverse-square law, no explanation as to how gravitation operates has been accepted. However, with our present knowledge of matter it would seem that some explanation should be possible. Keeping in mind Newton's first law of motion; namely, “Every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to alter that state by impressed force,” let us consider, for the purpose of illustration, an atom within which the motion is produced by the vibration of the nucleus in whole or in part, or by the electron as it rotates on its axis or as it travels in its orbit around the nucleus. The direction of rotation or revolution of the particles within the atom is apparently unimportant since the nucleus of the atom may rotate with or in opposition to the motion of the electron as is evidenced by the position of the spectrum lines.